Bible Story – Topic:  Paul in Corinth

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Topic: Paul in Corinth Acts 18:1-28

Paul left Athens after this and went on to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come with his wife Priscilla from Italy, because Emperor Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, stayed with them and worked with them because, just as they did, he earned his living by making tents.

Every Sabbath he held discussions in the synagogue, trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul gave all his time to preach the message, bearing witness to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah. When they opposed him and said evil things about him, he protested by shaking the dust out of his clothes and saying, “If you’re lost, you’ve got to blame yourself for it! I’m not responsible for that. So he left them and went to live in the house of a Gentile called Titius Justus, who worshiped God; his house was next to the synagogue. Crispus, who was the synagogue leader, and all his family believed in the Lord; and many others in Corinth heard the message, believed, and were baptized.

One night Paul had a vision in which the Lord said to him, “Do not be afraid, but continue to speak, and do not give up, because I am with you. No one can harm you, because many in this city are my people.” So Paul stayed there for a year and a half, teaching God’s word to the people. When Gallio became Achaia’s Roman governor, there Jews assembled, seized Paul, and brought him to court. “This man,” they said, “tries to persuade people to worship God in a manner contrary to the law! “Paul was about to speak when Gallio said to the Jews, ‘If this was a matter of any evil or wrongdoing committed, it would be reasonable for me to be patient with you Jews. But since it’s a discussion of words and names and your own law, you have to settle it yourself.

I’m not going to be the judge of these things! “And out of the court he drove them. They all grabbed and beat Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, before the court. But Gallio wasn’t bothered a little. For many days Paul stayed in Corinth with the believers, then left them and sailed off for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila. He had his head shaved before sailing from Cenchreae due to a vow he had taken. They came to Ephesus, where Paul left Aquila and Priscilla. He entered the synagogue and talked to the Jews. He was asked by the people to stay longer, but he wouldn’t agree.

Instead, as he left, he told them, “If it is God’s will, I will return to you.” So he sailed from Ephesus. He went to Jerusalem when he arrived at Caesarea and welcomed the church, and then went to Antioch. He left and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia after spending some time there, strengthening all the faithful. A Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria, came to Ephesus at that time. He was an eloquent speaker and had thorough scriptural knowledge. He was instructed in the Lord’s Way and rightly proclaimed and taught the facts about Jesus with great enthusiasm. He knew only John’s baptism, though.

He started talking boldly in the synagogue. They took him home with them when Priscilla and Aquila heard him and explained the Way of God to him more accurately. Then Apollos decided to go to Achaia, so he was helped by the believers in Ephesus by writing to Achaia’s believers, urging them to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who had become believers through the grace of God. For he defeated the Jews in public debates with his strong arguments by proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.

Moral lesson:

1. Don’t use Christianity as an avenue to be lazy e.g Paul was making tents to earn a living
2. Make good use of the opportunity given to you as a Christian
3. There is time for everything, that successful business of yours must not take the place of God
4. As a Christian you don’t fight people who persecute you but rejoice when it happens
5. You should not live by someone vision but on your own
6. Put your trust in God completely and you will see his marvellous work n your life.

By faithwheel.com